ROSEMOUNT TRANSPORTATION PLAN

Transcription

1 ROSEMOUNT TRANSPORTATION PLAN April 2008 (Revised April, July 2009) Prepared by: WSB & Associates, Inc. 701 Xenia Avenue South, Suite 300 Minneapolis, MN (763) (763) (Fax) WSB Project No

2 Table of Contents 1.0 INTRODUCTION Background Purpose Transportation Goals Public Involvement and Coordination Agency Review EXISTING CONDITIONS Roadways Functional Classification Jurisdictional Classification Existing Traffic Levels Safety, Capacity, Functional Conflicts Other Transportation Services, Facilities, Issues TRANSPORTATION TRENDS AND OTHER PLANNING DOCUMENTS General Transportation Trends Other Jurisdictional Planning Documents FUTURE TRANSPORTATION NEEDS Land Use Projections Forecast 2030 Traffic Levels TRANSPORTATION PLAN Financial Resources Roadway Improvements Investment Strategies Pavement Maintenance Future Improvement Projects Access Management Roadway Functional Classification Roadway Jurisdictional Classification Future Right-of-Way Needs Transit and Non-Motorized Transportation WSB Project No

3 List of Tables Table 5.1 Table 5.2 Table 5.3 Table 5.4 Table 5.5 Future Roadway Improvement Projects...20 Rosemount Access Management Guidelines...22 Dakota County Access Management Guidelines...23 Rosemount Right-of-Way Guidelines...25 Dakota County Right-of-Way Guidelines..25 List of Figures Please note that all figures are compiled together at the end of the text. Figure 1.1 Figure 2.1 Figure 2.2 Figure 2.3 Figure 2.4 Figure 2.5 Figure 2.6 Figure 2.7 Figure 2.8 Figure 4.1 Figure 4.2 Figure 5.1 Figure 5.2 Figure 5.3 Figure 5.4 Regional Location Map Rosemount Aerial Photograph Existing Roadway Functional Classification Existing Roadway Jurisdictional Classification Current Traffic Volumes Crash Analysis Existing and Future Pedestrian & Bicycle Ways Rosemount Interpretive Trail Corridor Railroad Lines 2030 Land Use Map 2030 Forecast Traffic Levels Future Capital Improvement Projects 42/52 Study CSAH 42 Access Spacing Plan 2030 Roadway Functional Classification 2030 Roadway Jurisdictional Classification Appendices Appendix A Appendix B Appendix C Agency Comments on Draft Transportation Plan Plus Responses Traffic Forecasting Model and Methods Transit Plan WSB Project No

4 1.0 INTRODUCTION 1.1 Background The City of Rosemount is located in the southeastern portion of the Minneapolis/St. Paul metropolitan area, approximately 15 miles from downtown St. Paul and 20 miles from downtown Minneapolis (Figure 1.1). Rosemount was founded in the mid 19th century and historically was an economic center for the surrounding farming community. In the 1950s, production began within the city limits at the Great Northern Oil Refinery, which is currently the Flint Hills Resources Refinery. Flint Hills Resources, along with the University of Minnesota, owns approximately 3,200 acres within the City, which are used as an agricultural research facility, and are the two largest landowners in the City. Since the 1970s, Rosemount has seen significant growth, largely due to its proximity to Minneapolis and St. Paul. Census data for Rosemount s population over the past 30 years is as follows: , , , ,619 This general trend is anticipated to continue. According to the Metropolitan Council, Rosemount will likely be one of the top ten growing cities in the metropolitan area through With a land area of 36 square miles, there is much undeveloped land within the City limits. The primary north/south regional roadways accessing Rosemount are Trunk Highway (TH) 3 and TH 52/55. The primary east/west regional roadway accessing Rosemount is County State Aid Highway (CSAH) Purpose With Rosemount s anticipated future development, meeting ever-growing travel demand will be an increasingly important factor in prioritizing transportation projects. There are numerous transportation issues which the City must face for the near term (less than five years) and the long term (20 to 25 years). The purpose of this Transportation Plan (Plan) is to identify these issues and begin the process of addressing them. More specifically, the tasks of this Plan intended to accomplish are listed below. Identify broad transportation goals and strategies for the City (Section 1.3). Identify and characterize the existing transportation network (Section 2.0). Discuss broad planning issues, including general transportation trends as well as individual planning documents of other government jurisdictions (Section 3.0). Analyze and identify future transportation deficiencies and needs (Section 4.0). WSB Project No Page 1

5 Prepare a comprehensive Transportation Plan (Section 5.0), addressing a broad range of issues including: - Necessary roadway improvements - Funding needs/issues - Functional and jurisdictional classification - Right-of-way needs - Appropriate access management guidelines - Transit issues - Others 1.3 Transportation Goals The City s primary transportation goals are: Maximize the safety of roadways. Increase the operational capacity of existing roadways. Selectively expand the roadway system in order to relieve pressure from roads near or over capacity. Encourage transit use. Support non-motorized transportation. The primary strategies to meet these goals are: Use the appropriate access management guidelines. Coordinate effectively with other governmental jurisdictions on this issue. Plan roadway projects with central consideration given to the roadway functional classification system. This will help optimize capacity, operational, and safety characteristics of the overall network. Coordinate with other government organizations such as Mn/DOT, Dakota County, and neighboring jurisdictions in the planning and implementation of arterial and collector roadways. Review network needs assessment on an on-going basis regarding potential deficiencies. Use the analysis and prioritization principals from this Plan as the basis for this review. Assess these needs against available funding. Proactively dedicate roadway right-of-way for future network needs to minimize long-term economic and property-owner impacts. Require traffic impact studies for larger residential, commercial, or development projects, or where projects are unable to meet standards established in this Comprehensive Plan. Work with Minnesota Valley Transit Authority and Met Council Transit services to maximize transit use and to coordinate potential transit facilities. Provide off-road, paved bike/pedestrian facilities on either side of collector and higher level roadways. WSB Project No Page 2

6 1.4 Public Involvement and Coordination A public involvement program was an important part of the preparation of this Plan. Early in the plan preparation process, a stakeholders group was formed to discuss transportation issues for the City and have input into the planning process. Beyond the City of Rosemount, this group was made up of representatives of the following: Minnesota Department of Transportation (Mn/DOT) Dakota County City of Apple Valley City of Inver Grove Heights Flint Hills Resources University of Minnesota This group met on two occasions to discuss the work being performed to prepare this Plan. This gave the interested parties a chance to voice their issues and understand other perspectives. Two public meetings were held in the early phases of preparing the Transportation Plan using an open house format. A presentation was made by WSB & Associates (WSB), followed by open time for visitors to review displayed information and discuss issues informally with representatives of the City and WSB. Comment cards were provided for visitors to make comments on issues. As will be discussed in greater detail in Section 4.2 of this Transportation Plan, the City has recently prepared and adopted a 42/52 land-use plan. This work was initiated to evaluate future development and transportation needs in the area of the TH 52/CSAH 42 interchange, and more generally, in the eastern portion of the City. To develop this plan, the City formulated a 42/52 Land-Use Group, including City representatives and property owners, which met on six occasions. In addition, two public information meetings were held in January and February of 2005 specifically to address land use and transportation planning issues for the eastern portion of the City. In July 2005, addressing issues raised during the public involvement process, the City Council approved the 42/52 future land-use plan, which is incorporated on Figure 4.1 of this Transportation Plan 1.5 Agency Review During the preparation of this Transportation Plan, the City of Rosemount distributed drafts of the document to Dakota County and neighboring communities for review and comment. Comments were received by the following agencies: Dakota County City of Eagan Nininger Township These comments, and the City of Rosemount responses to them, are included in Appendix A of this Transportation Plan. WSB Project No Page 3

7 2.0 EXISTING CONDITIONS 2.1 Roadways Figure 2.1 provides an aerial photograph of the City identifying major roadways. More detailed information on the roadway network is provided under the following headings: Functional Classification Roadways serve two primary purposes: mobility (long trips, relatively high speeds) and access (short trips, direct connection to many land uses). These are generally competing functions. For example, a roadway with many driveways will not serve regional high speed trips efficiently or safely. However, the whole purpose of the roadway network is to ultimately provide access between land uses. The basis of a functional hierarchy system is to categorize different roadways by the degree to which they serve one of the two core functions versus the other. Establishing a network with roadways serving different functions allows the most efficient overall movement and connection within the system. Roadways in differing functional categories will have different design and operational features as dictated by how they are used. The Metropolitan Council is the Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) for the Twin Cities Metropolitan area. The Metropolitan Council has established a functional hierarchy which Dakota County and the City of Rosemount utilize. It is summarized below: Principal Arterials Principal arterials include all interstate freeways plus some non-interstate roadways. The primary function of principal arterials is mobility, and access is minimal. These roads connect the region with other areas in the state and other states. They also connect the Twin Cities metro centers to regional business concentrations. They only connect with other principal arterials and select minor arterials and collectors. Functional classification information for roadways in Rosemount is provided on Figure 2.2. The Principal Arterials in Rosemount are: Trunk Highway (TH) 52 TH 55 County State Aid Highway (CSAH) 42 WSB Project No Page 4

8 Minor Arterials The primary function of minor arterials is mobility, but they provide for and allow more access than principal arterials. The minor arterial system connects the urban service area to cities and towns inside and outside the region. These roads interconnect the rural growth centers in the region to one another as well as to similar places just outside the region. Minor arterials should connect to principal arterials, other minor arterials, and collectors. They generally service medium to short trips. As depicted on Figure 2.2, the Minor Arterials in Rosemount are: TH 3 (A Minor) CSAH 71 (A Minor) CSAH 38 west of TH 3 (A Minor) CSAH 46 (A Minor) CSAH 33 (B Minor) Collector Streets The collector system provides connection between neighborhoods and from neighborhoods to minor business concentrations. It also provides supplementary interconnections of major traffic generators within the metro centers and regional business concentrations. Mobility and land access are both important functions for collector streets. As depicted on Figure 2.2 the collectors in Rosemount are: Shannon Parkway Chippendale Avenue Biscayne Avenue from Connemara Trail to CSAH 46 Bacardi Avenue between Gun Club Road and 135 th Street County 73 (Akron Avenue) north of CSAH 42 Fahey Avenue E. Pine Bend Trail Bonaire Path from S. TH 3 to CSAH 71 (Blaine Avenue) Connemara Trail from western City limit to Auburn Avenue 140 th Street from CSAH 71 to CSAH th Street from Diamond Path to CSAH st Street from Shannon Parkway to Chippendale Avenue Evermoor Parkway Dodd Boulevard from Shannon Parkway to Chippendale Avenue Auburn Avenue Autumn Path WSB Project No Page 5

9 Local Streets Local streets connect city blocks and individual land parcels. They serve the access function rather than the mobility function. In most cases, they will connect to other local streets and collectors. All roadways in Rosemount not addressed in the preceding categories are local streets Jurisdictional Classification Roadways are classified on the basis of which level of government owns or has jurisdiction over them. For Rosemount, the levels of government are: the State of Minnesota (Mn/DOT), Dakota County, and the City. Mn/DOT maintains the Interstate and Trunk Highway System. Dakota County maintains the County State Aid Highway (CSAH) and County Road (CR) systems. The remaining streets and roadways located within the City are the responsibility of the City of Rosemount with the exception of privately owned and maintained roads. Figure 2.3 depicts the jurisdictional classification for roadways serving Rosemount Existing Traffic Levels Figure 2.4 presents existing traffic levels for the City of Rosemount. This is 2004/5 Mn/DOT data Safety, Capacity, Functional Conflicts Existing Safety Issues Historical crash data for the years and 2004 were reviewed in the preparation of this Plan. Year 2003 crash information was not used because of potential problems with the State data set. Analysis focused upon interchanges or intersections which were selected according to one or more of the following criteria: The location was identified by the City as an area of concern. The location was identified in the public involvement process as an area of concern. Relatively high volume intersections and/or intersections involving collector or higher level roadways. Scan of all crash data for the city for accident patterns or clusters. In the years , there were a total of 1,094 crashes in Rosemount according to Mn/DOT records. The majority of these were relatively minor, with property (automobile) damage only. However, there were a total of five fatalities during this timeframe. Figure 2.5 shows locations and corresponding number of crashes for all locations which had five or more crashes during the study period. The primary observations to be made from reviewing the summary 1999 through 2002, 2004 Rosemount crash information are provided below: WSB Project No Page 6

10 The highest ranking locations are the TH 55/52 and TH 52/CSAH 42 interchanges. This is not a surprising result since these are high traffic locations and currently have design deficiencies. Mn/DOT intends to realign TH 55 along TH 52 south to the TH 52/CSAH 42 interchange and to reconstruct this interchange. This project is not scheduled to receive Mn/DOT funding until the timeframe. Thus, Dakota County has taken the lead on advancing this project, which has an approved Environmental Assessment and a Mn/DOT staff-approved layout. With this overall realignment/reconstruction work, the TH 52/TH 55 interchange will be eliminated, and the operational and safety characteristics of the TH 52/CSAH 42 interchange will be substantially upgraded. Further information can be referenced in Mn/DOT s Highway 52 Interregional Corridor Management Plan (2002), and Highway 52/42/55 Study Report (2002). There are high numbers of accidents along CSAH 42 between the western City boundary and TH 3. This observation reflects the competing functions that CSAH 42 serves along this segment both mobility and access. CSAH 42 is a principal arterial but also supports substantial development. The high accident levels for this segment reinforce the need for appropriate access management guidelines. Access management is one of the key issues addressed in the 1999 County Highway 42 Corridor Study (see Section of this Plan). There is a relatively high number of accidents at Chippendale and 151st St. The number of crashes at this location have been increasing in recent years: crash crashes crashes crashes crashes Total (5-year study period) 21 In 2003, a four-way stop configuration was implemented at this intersection to address safety and operational concerns. The above data suggest that further study of this location is required, with potential future signalization of the intersection. There is a surprising number of accidents on TH 3 south of Canada Avenue (see Figure 2.5). Nineteen of these were recorded as being approximately 200 feet south of Canada Avenue, and another six approximately 140 feet south of the bowling alley driveway. The City will provide this information to Mn/DOT and request that they investigate it further. Existing Capacity/Operational Issues Roadway capacity deficiencies are currently not a substantial problem for the City. The only collector or arterial roadway segment identified in relevant state, regional, and county documents as approaching or exceeding capacity is the eastern-most portion of TH 55. It may be noted the Dakota County Transportation Plan projects two roadway locations in Rosemount to be over capacity in 2025: CSAH 38, west of Danbury Way, and CSAH 42, west of TH 3. The County plan WSB Project No Page 7

11 also identifies that the CSAH 42/TH 3 intersection will likely have to be replaced with a gradeseparated interchange in the future. Please refer also to Section 3.2 information. While roadways in the City generally have adequate current capacity, there are some locations which do not operate at desirable levels and/or are starting to become problematic. These include: 1. Shannon Parkway/CSAH 46 to CSAH 38: While this segment of roadway does not have a specific capacity issue, lane continuity and pedestrian access is an issue. Currently, the roadway switches between two lanes and four lanes throughout different segments of the corridor. Initial study indicates that this roadway could be converted to a three-lane section with a center left turn lane. In those segments where four lanes currently exist, a wider shoulder would be available. Additional study needs are required regarding issues related to driveway access, specifically north of Connemara Trail, and pedestrian crossings along the corridor. 2. Chippendale Avenue/CSAH 42 to 145 th Street: This segment of roadway has a current (2003) volume of approximately 3,350 vehicles per day. This roadway is projected to increase to close to 9,400 vehicles per day as the City continues to grow. With the large number of street accesses in this segment of roadway, a safety improvement to provide left turn lanes (i.e., three-lane section) should be considered to both improve capacity and operation st Street at Chippendale Avenue: This intersection has been identified with an excessive number of crashes between 1999 and In 2003, an all-way stop sign was installed, but the number of crashes actually increased in 2004 relative to previous years (please refer to information under the Existing Safety Issues heading, above). This intersection should be studied to determine the potential cause of these crashes and whether signalization or other operational/safety improvements should be considered th Street at Chili Avenue/Chippendale Avenue: Traffic levels at this intersection are continuing to increase, specifically relating to traffic entering the high school via Chili Avenue. As this traffic continues to grow, the operation of the intersection as an all-way stop will begin to see longer delays. Future consideration of signalizing this intersection should be studied. 5. Trunk Highway 3 at 132 nd Street (Old County Road 38): 132 nd Street (old CR 38) is a major street access to the developing area north of CSAH 42 and east of TH 3. As traffic continues to grow, access to TH 3 will become more and more difficult. Signalization of this intersection should be considered in the future, as this traffic grows and when traffic signal warrants are met. 6. Trunk Highway 3 at the High School Entrance/142 nd Street: This intersection is the main access to the Rosemount High School. As traffic continues to grow on TH 3, this intersection will become more and more of an issue for safe access to TH 3. Signalization of this intersection should be considered as soon as traffic signal warrants are met. It may WSB Project No Page 8

12 be noted that advancing a signal at this location will require funding participation from School District 196 and Mn/DOT. 7. Chili Avenue North of 145 th Street: With the increased traffic on TH 3, traffic to the high school will likely begin to use Chili Avenue as an alternate access. With this in mind, this roadway should continue to be monitored and considered for possible capacity and safety improvements. 8. Trunk Highway (TH) 3: Through the City of Rosemount, TH 3 is currently a two or three lane facility, with center left turn lanes throughout the primary downtown area and at other specific intersections. The traffic projections for 2025 indicate that this roadway will be over 20,000 vehicles per day. This capacity far exceeds the typical three lane operation. The City will need to work with Mn/DOT and/or Dakota County on improvements to TH 3 in the future to help alleviate these capacity issues. Physical and right-of-way constraints are substantial through the downtown area; the City will coordinate with Mn/DOT and/or Dakota County as needed to assess potential TH 3 bypass alternatives. Mobility/Access Conflicts There are currently two roadways within the City which experience substantial potential for conflict between mobility and access functions: CSAH 42 and TH 3. These are arterial roadways which carry relatively high levels of through traffic. However there are also increasing levels of development adjacent to and/or accessing these roadways, so conflicts are becoming more of an issue. The crash information summarized on Figure 2.5 suggests that this is particularly true for CSAH 42 between the western City boundary and TH 3. The City intends to help address mobility/access conflicts through the following approaches: On-going coordination with Mn/DOT and Dakota County regarding roadway design and land use issues. This includes working with recommendations and guidelines in the County Highway 42 Corridor Study. Implement City access management guidelines (see Section 5.2.4). Improve intersections where appropriate. Provide parallel reliever and/or frontage roadways where appropriate. As development occurs west of TH 3 along CSAH 42, the City will work with Dakota County to identify opportunities for the reasonable acquisition of right-of-way for a future six-lane roadway. 2.2 Other Transportation Services, Facilities, Issues Transit A detail transit plan, including exiting transit services, is included in Appendix C. Bikeways and Pedestrian Facilities WSB Project No Page 9

13 The City of Rosemount recognizes the importance of non-motorized transportation for City residents. This serves a recreational, as well as a mobility, function. Figure 2.6 shows current and future bike routes in the City in existing, developed areas. It is the City practice to include off-road, paved bike/pedestrian ways (dual facilities, one on either side of roadway) on all new construction of collectors and arterials. Thus, the network identified on Figure 2.6 will be expanded as new areas are developed and supporting roadways are constructed. Dakota County has expressed an interest in working with the City to ensure that City bikeways and pedestrian facilities will connect to the County system so that access is improved for residents in Rosemount and throughout Dakota County. One project which will be important regarding this coordination with Dakota County is the proposed Rosemount Interpretive Trail Corridor. Information on this project, which would connect downtown with the Spring Lake Park Reserve on the Mississippi River, is presented on Figure 2.7. Further information is provided in Section 5.3 of this Transportation Plan. Railways Three rail carriers operate in Rosemount: Union Pacific, Canadian Pacific, and Progressive Rail. Figure 2.8 shows the location of the railroad tracks within the City. On average, the Union Pacific Railroad operates approximately 11 trains per day through Rosemount; the Canadian Pacific Railway two trains per day, and Progressive Rail one train per day, plus some local switching. Railroad noise and safety issues represent planning challenges for the City. The City limits the number of at-grade crossings over the tracks, and attempts to take the railroads into consideration when approving residential developments and roads. The City, in cooperation with Mn/DOT, Federal Railroad Authority (FRA), Dakota County, and the railroad companies (UP, CP, and Progressive) are pursuing a Quiet Zone between 160 th Street (CSAH 46) and Akron Avenue (CR 73). Improvements are being proposed at each crossing to meet the FRA requirements. It is anticipated that by early 2009, the Quiet Zone will be in effect. The conflict between trains and other forms of transportation is most notable at the at-grade railroad crossing of CSAH 42 at TH 3. This has been an ongoing area of safety concern for the City. In its 2025 Transportation Plan, the County identifies this intersection as a roadway deficiency likely requiring reconstruction as a grade separated interchange. The railway would be grade separated from CSAH 42 under this project. The City will continue to encourage Mn/DOT, Dakota County, and the City to investigate alternatives to complete a grade-separated crossing east of the TH 3/CSAH 42 intersection. Such a project could necessitate reconstructing the intersection as identified in the County Highway 42 Corridor Study and the Dakota County 2025 Transportation Plan. Aviation The City of Rosemount has no public airport or any heliport facilities within its jurisdiction. A small private airstrip, Jensen Field, is located on the University of Minnesota Agricultural Research Center campus, just south of the Dakota County Technical College. The nearest airports to Rosemount are Fleming Field (South St. Paul) and Airlake Airport (Lakeville). The City does lie WSB Project No Page 10

14 within the Critical Airspace Policy Area. The FAA and Mn/DOT should be notified at least 30 days prior to any proposed project over 200 feet above ground level using Form Commercial Waterways Navigation Flint Hills Resources (formerly Koch Refining) operates a barge terminal that generates approximately two to three dockings per week CF Industries transfers bulk fertilizer from barges onto approximately 80 trucks per day. All barge activities take place within the Mississippi Critical Area corridor. Snowmobiles The use of snowmobiles is permitted within the City subject to restrictions in the City Code. Snowmobiles are not permitted on trails/sidewalks or boulevards, and must not exceed 10 miles per hour. Other Vehicles Other motorized vehicles such as those listed below must be operated in accordance with applicable local ordinances and state statutes: All terrain vehicles (ATVs) Motorized scooters and minibikes Segues Golf carts Other unlicensed motorized vehicles WSB Project No Page 11

15 3.0 TRANSPORTATION TRENDS AND OTHER PLANNING DOCUMENTS 3.1 General Transportation Trends In the 2003 Statewide Transportation Plan, the Minnesota Department of Transportation identifies and addresses major transportation-related trends. Relative to Rosemount transportation planning, the most significant trends and their implications are summarized below: Demographic Minnesota s growing population will increase the number of transportation system users. Concentrations of population in the Twin Cities Metropolitan Area and in Regional Trade Centers will increase congestion on roadways and demand for transit in and around these centers. Population growth in all areas of the state will increase vehicle miles of travel. The aging of the population and increasing share of residents over 65 may necessitate changes in highway design and traffic engineering, and retraining. The growth in elderly population will increase the demand for travel alternatives as these individuals discontinue driving. Environmental justice will continue to be important when planning transportation projects due to the growth in low income and minority populations in the state. Economic Minnesota s economic growth will result in increased travel and goods shipments. Concentrations of employment and economic activity in the Twin Cities Metropolitan Area will increase vehicle miles of travel congestion and demand for cost-effective transit to serve major employment concentrations. Concentrations of employment and economic activity in Regional Trade Centers will increase vehicle miles of travel and transit demand in and around these centers and on Interregional Corridors (interregional corridors in the vicinity of Rosemount are TH 52 and TH 55). Rising incomes may increase disposable income and the number of vehicles, contributing to increasing vehicle miles traveled. Transportation Travel is increasing on Minnesota roadways between 1980 and 2000, total vehicle miles traveled (VMT) in Minnesota increased by approximately 74 percent. This compares with an increase in population of 21 percent over the same timeframe. The average annual increase in total Minnesota VMT between 1990 and 1995 was 2.5 percent, as compared with WSB Project No Page 12

16 3.6 percent from 1995 and Increased travel on Minnesota s transportation system will continue to exacerbate congestion and other service problems. Highway travel is becoming more concentrated on principal arterials. This suggests that average trip lengths are increasing. This trend reflects Mn/DOT s focus upon primary interregional corridors (including TH 52) connecting economic centers throughout the state. Congestion is increasing at a relatively rapid rate in the Twin Cities Metropolitan area. Based on analysis by the Texas Transportation Institute, the Twin Cities Metropolitan Area was the 15 th most congested metro area out of 68 metro areas in the United States in This compares with a ranking of 34 th in Travel is increasing in Minnesota s large urbanized areas faster than the addition of miles of roadway. From 1993 to 2000, VMT grew by 25.4 percent in the Minneapolis-St. Paul urbanized area, while roadway miles grew by just 8.1 percent. Truck travel continues to rise recent estimates indicate that between 1994 and 2000, total truck vehicle miles traveled (excluding pick-ups and vans) increased about 2.0 percent per year. On some routes, truck traffic is increasing at many times this rate. New technologies and business practices place increasing demand on the transportation network. Electronic commerce, via the Internet and other means, will increase the demand for consumer based package delivery and result in more delivery trucks on our highways. Also, the increasing just-in-time delivery approach to reducing inventory needs heighten the demand for an efficient, reliable, and safe transportation network. Traffic fatality rates have declined the fatality rate per hundred million miles traveled declined from 1.47 in 1990 to 1.19 in In 1980, the rate was In spite of these rate decreases, the total number of fatalities appears to be increasing by somewhat less than one percent per year. 3.2 Other Jurisdictional Planning Documents Planning studies and documents prepared by other levels of government and jurisdictions were reviewed to help ensure that Plan is compatible with regional policies and projects. These documents are identified below and the key elements of them from the perspective of this Plan are summarized. Rosemount/Empire/Umore Area Transportation System Study (in progress) In early 2009, a study was initiated by Dakota County, the City of Rosemount, Empire Township, the University of Minnesota, and the Department of Natural Resources to study and plan for the future transportation needs in the Umore and Vermillion Highlands area. A key transportation factor driving this study is the future development of Umore Park, a 5,000 acre area generally bounded by CSAH 42, Biscayne Avenue, 190 th Street, and Clayton Avenue. The University of Minnesota is currently considering residential, industrial, and commercial uses that would support up to 30,000 people in the future in this area. The Transportation System Study is anticipated to be completed by the end of WSB Project No Page 13

17 Dakota County 2025 Transportation Plan (2004) A primary planning issue which the county is facing is growth and impacts of that growth on the transportation system. Between 2000 and 2020, the population of Dakota County is anticipated to grow by 28 percent, and the vehicle miles traveled is estimated to grow by 40 percent. This is an example of the Mn/DOT trend information summarized in Section 3.1. Most County roadways fall into the functional classification of minor arterial highways. The emphasis of arterial highways is on mobility, with limited local access. With the increasing levels of development and access demand for the county, local supporting roadway networks are essential to provide appropriate access to and from the County highway system and to handle local traffic. Funding for necessary improvements is anticipated to be limited, so management techniques will be very important. For 2025, CR 38 between CR 73 and TH 3 is identified as being overcapacity without improvements. Since the completion of the Dakota County 2025 Transportation Plan, old County Road 38 east of TH 3 has been turned back to the City of Rosemount. The City completed an upgrade to old CR 38 (Bonaire Path/135 th Street) in For 2025, the following County Roadways are identified as being over capacity in 2025 without improvements: CSAH 38, west of Danbury Way; CSAH 42, west of TH 3. The following roadways are identified as approaching capacity (75 percent of the highway capacity design): CSAH 33, north of Connemara Trail; CSAH 38 between TH 3 and Danbury Way, CSAH 42 between TH 52/55 and TH 3; CR 73, north of 135th Street. The CSAH 42/TH 3 intersection and the CSAH 42/TH 52 interchange are identified as being deficient in the future without improvements. For the CSAH 42/TH 3 intersection, this necessitates reconstruction as a grade-separated interchange. For the CSAH 42/TH52 interchange, design work and right-of-way acquisition from willing sellers is underway. The timeline for construction activities on this project will be determined ultimately by Dakota County, who has taken the lead on advancing the project as discussed previously. A potential need for a North-South Principal Arterial Study is identified in Chapter 7 (page 85). The study area would extend from I-494 to CSAH 42 between CSAH 31/33 and CSAH 73. The County Transportation Plan identifies that the distance between principal arterials (TH 77 and TH 52/55) is currently approximately nine miles, and that non-freeway principal arterial guidelines call for significantly closer spacing. Making TH 3 a principal arterial south of CSAH 42 is identified as an issue to be considered and evaluated (page 82). County Highway 42 Corridor Study (Dakota County, 1999) CSAH 42 is the only continuous east-west roadway serving travel across central Dakota and northern Scott Counties. With intensive commercial development along CSAH 42, there a growing conflict between mobility and access functions for the roadway. WSB Project No Page 14

18 The Counties and cites in the corridor should adopt consistent access spacing guidelines for the entire corridor. Please refer to Section of this Transportation Plan for further information on access management. An enhanced system of supporting roadways should be provided in order to limit local trips on CSAH 42 and improve overall operations in the CSAH 42 corridor. The improvement identified for the Rosemont area is the extension of 140th Street (Connemara Trail) from Shannon Parkway east to CSAH 71. Specifically within Rosemount, the following recommendations are made: - Add cross street and mainline auxiliary lanes at CSAH 42/Chippendale (3-5 year timeframe) this project has been completed as of Modify the CSAH 42/Chippendale traffic signal phasing (3-5 year timeframe) this project has been completed as of Modify the CSAH 42/TH 3 traffic signal phasing (1-2 year timeframe) - Add auxiliary lanes on CSAH 42 at the CSAH 42/ TH 3 intersection (3-5 year timeframe) - Add cross-street and mainline auxiliary lanes at the CSAH 42/Biscayne intersection (3-5 year timeframe) - Provide a grade-separated crossing of the existing railroad tracks east of the CSAH 42/TH 3 intersection (6 years-plus timeframe) - Re-route TH 55 south on TH 52 and east on CSAH 42. This assumes that the TH 52/CSAH 42 interchange will be rebuilt as a new single-point urban interchange (6 years plus timeframe) The City of Rosemount, in conjunction with Dakota County, requested and had approved modifications to the CSAH 42 Corridor Study. The modifications included revised access across locations between 145 th Street and TH 52. Additional discussions of these modifications are included in Section 5. Highway 52 Interregional Corridor Management Plan (Mn/DOT, 2002) Recommendations of this document relevant to Rosemount transportation planning include the following (from north to south, all by 2015 all recommendations below summarized in Executive Summary Table, page ES-5 of TH 52 IRC Management Plan): Construct 117 th Street Interchange (this project has been completed). Close access at Koch Refinery frontage road. Close Pine Bend Trail access after reconstructing the CSAH 42/TH 52 interchange. Close all remaining at-grade access in the Inver Grove Trail area. Reconstruct TH 52/CSAH 42 interchange. Construct trail with extension of 140 th Street under TH 52. WSB Project No Page 15

19 Apple Valley Comprehensive Plan (1999) The information in the Transportation section of the 1999 Apple Valley Comprehensive Plan is consistent with Rosemont s intentions for transportation planning and development in the future. The functional classifications for the east-west roadways which the cities share are consistent. WSB Project No Page 16

20 4.0 FUTURE TRANSPORTATION NEEDS 4.1 Land Use Projections Background In 2000, the City of Rosemount adopted its 2020 Comprehensive Plan. This document provided a 2020 land use plan, as well as 2020 population projections. The future land use plan and population projections have since been updated with the CSAH 42/TH 52 land use study and plan as summarized below. The City of Rosemount initiated a land use study in June 2004 to begin looking at future land uses along CSAH 42 near its intersection with TH 52. A small task force was assembled, comprised of property owner representatives, Planning Commission members and a City Council representative. The reasons for initiating the project were many. One was the State and County plans to upgrade the CSAH 42/TH 52 interchange. Another was the recent higher rate of growth in the community and the need for a MUSA expansion. Before this expansion was initiated, it was decided that the land uses should first be evaluated. There was also a concern that there was not enough Business Park and Commercial land in the community, and more opportunities could occur for these uses along County Road 42. Finally, the Council wanted to ensure that there was an adequate and steady supply of land to permit orderly, managed growth. The 42/52 Land Use Group met on six occasions and developed a land use concept plan and a transportation concept plan. Two public information meetings were held in January and February of 2005 with approximately 100 property owners in attendance. The Concept Plan was forwarded to the Planning Commission in May and June for further discussion and to take formal comments during the formal public hearing. The Commission also held five public meetings to permit discussion of the Task Force recommendation. There have been some modifications from the initial Land Use Group recommendation although the general location of different land uses has not changed significantly. Much of the discussion has been regarding the land uses between Akron Avenue and Hwy 52 on the north side of County Road 42. In July 2005, the City Council approved the 42/52 future land use plan. Since that time, staff has initiated the approval process by the Metropolitan Council for a 2000 acre Municipal Urban Service Area (MUSA) expansion north of County Road 42 and west of Hwy 52. It may be noted that the CSAH 42/TH 52 interchange reconstruction design has been officially mapped to preserve right-of-way. Interchange modifications will require additional mapping Future Land Use Plan and Roadway Network To forecast traffic levels, it is necessary to assume future land use patterns associated traffic generation levels and distribution patterns. The 2030 land use assumed in this Transportation Plan is depicted on Figure 4.1. This is a combination of the land use map from the 2020 Comprehensive WSB Project No Page 17

21 Plan, along with the 42/52 land use plan referenced above. The 42/52 work also established a planned network of new roadways in the eastern portion of the City. The traffic forecasts, as discussed in Section 4.2, assumed these new roadways. The locations of the new roadways on Figure 4.1 are conceptual. The intent of the roadways in the vicinity of CSAH 42 in the 42/52 study area is to allow access to development adjacent to CSAH 42, thereby supporting access management on CSAH Forecast 2030 Traffic Levels The traffic modeling performed for this Transportation Plan utilized a widely used traffic forecasting program called Viper. The Rosemount transportation forecasting was set up to be consistent with the Metropolitan Council Regional Transportation Model and Dakota County traffic projections. Traffic forecasting involves breaking the study area into individual Traffic Analysis Zones (TAZs), and identifying land use information for each. Each TAZ will have trip generation and attraction characteristics based on future land uses assumed. Using the Viper program, trip productions are matched with attractions routed through the roadway network, and external trips (those originating and or terminating outside the study area) are also accounted for. Based on the methods summarized above, the forecast 2030 traffic levels are depicted on Figure 4.2. Additional information regarding how the model was set up and used for this Plan Update is provided in Appendix B. WSB Project No Page 18

22 5.0 TRANSPORTATION PLAN 5.1 Financial Resources Funding for construction and reconstruction can be obtained from a variety of sources. Further information is provided below. General Ad Valorem (Property) Taxes transportation projects can be funded with the general pool of municipal revenues raised through property taxes. Assessments Properties that benefit from a roadway scheduled for improvement may be assessed for the cost of construction. In order to assess the owner, it must be demonstrated that the value of their property will increase by at least the amount of the assessment. Municipal State Aid Cities with populations of greater than 5,000 are eligible for funding assistance from the highway user Task Distribution Fund (gas tax and vehicle registration tax). These funds area allocated to a network of Municipal State Aid (MSA) streets. Currently, the City of Rosemount receives an apportionment per year for improvements to their MSA streets. Cooperative Agreements with Mn/DOT and/or Dakota County - Different levels of government can cooperate on planning, implementing, and financing transportation projects which provide benefits to all the concerned agencies. The financial terms and obligations are generally established at the front end of the projects. Tax Increment Financing (TIF) This is a method of funding improvements that are needed immediately by using the additional tax revenue anticipated to be generated because of the given project s benefits in future years. The difference between current tax revenues from the targeted district and the increased future tax revenues resulting from the improvements is dedicated to retiring the municipal bonds used to finance the initial improvement(s). 5.2 Roadway Improvements Investment Strategies The bulk of City transportation investments will go for roadway projects. Roadway investments are made to meet the following basic types of needs: Maintenance the existing system must be maintained, or it will not effectively meet user needs over time. (Please refer to Section 5.2.2) Access newly developed and redeveloping areas need efficient connection to the local and regional transportation network. WSB Project No Page 19

23 Safety as traffic levels increase, or as required by specific development projects, infrastructure improvements must sometimes be made to maintain or improve existing safety levels; this includes vehicular and pedestrian safety. Capacity and operations as travel demand increases with local and regional growth, roadways must be improved to be able to carry more traffic with acceptable operational characteristics. Roadway projects are best planned and programmed within a systematic, forward-looking framework that has an appropriate balance of meeting the needs identified above. Transportation investments also need to address transit and non-motorized transportation issues (i.e. sidewalks and trails). Investment strategies for these types of projects should reflect community needs and priorities Pavement Maintenance The City has implemented a pavement maintenance program that is designed to protect and extend the useful life of paved surfaces throughout the City in a systematic, cost-effective manner. This program uses ICON, a specialized software application which allows staff to track and inventory the growth of the streets system, its structural performance, and overall condition. The basis of this approach is that the cost of maintaining or repairing roads can increase dramatically if they are allowed to deteriorate past certain levels (better to pay a little now vs. a lot later). On-going field inspections, every three years for individual street sections, are used to rate the physical conditions of the sections. This information is used to calculate a Pavement Condition Index (PCI) for each section. The ICON program uses the PCI information, combined with maintenance policy objectives set by the City, to schedule maintenance projects in such a manner as to minimize life-cycle maintenance costs over an extended planning period. The primary types of projects included in the pavement management program are sealcoating, mill, and overlay (resurfacing), reclaim/recycle the roadway pavement, and complete roadway reconstruction. Through the City s Pavement Management Program, a five-year Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) is reviewed annually for the identification of individual street projects and budgeting Future Improvement Projects Based upon anticipated future land use development and travel demand as discussed in previous sections of this Transportation Plan, key roadway extension and/or improvement projects are identified in Table 5.1, below. WSB Project No Page 20

24 Table 5.1 Future Roadway Improvement Projects Roadway Segment Improvement 1. Akron Avenue (CR 73) CSAH 42 to North City Limit Widen/pave 4-lane or 3-lane section 2. TH 3 at high school entrance Intersection Signalization (1) 3. Shannon Parkway CSAH 46 to CSAH 38 Reconfigure for lane continuity 3.a Shannon Parkway at CSAH 42 Intersection Intersection alignment improvement 4. Chippendale Ave at 151 st Intersection Signalization Street 5. TH 52/TH 55/CSAH 42 Interchange area Construct frontage roads and other supporting roadways to support the new interchange (2) 6. TH 3 at 132 nd Street Intersection Signalization 7. Chippendale Avenue CSAH 42 to 145 th Street Capacity improvements th at Chippendale/Chili Intersection Capacity improvements 9. Chili Avenue 145 th Street to high school Capacity improvements th Street Shannon Parkway to TH 3 Capacity improvements 11. TH 3 CSAH 46 to CSAH 38 Evaluate capacity/safety improvements (1) (2) This project would be suggested by the City, but would be implemented at the initiative of School District 196. Design and right-of-way activities for the interchange reconstruction project are underway; the final construction schedule to be determined by Dakota County pending federal funding availability). The locations of these future roadway improvement projects are depicted graphically on Figure Access Management General As discussed in Section 2.1.1, roadways serve some combination of two functions: mobility and access. Principal arterials primarily serve the mobility function, local streets primarily provide the access function, and minor arterials and collectors serve a combination of the functions. Appropriate management of access to arterials and collectors is necessary to achieve operational, capacity, and safety objectives. In Rosemount, access to adjacent roadways is overseen by three primary jurisdictions: Mn/DOT along state highways, Dakota County along county roads, and the City of Rosemount along City WSB Project No Page 21